

Looking at laser cutters under £1000 or $1000 there are two types available: CO₂ lasers and diode lasers. And I’ll show how to design, engrave and cut out a simple name tag from start to finish. I’ll cover the various laser machine options available in the hobby space and what you need to get started, including software to design your project and communicate with the laser. They’re pretty easy to get started with and they have plenty of uses from making name tags and signs, to engraving pretty much anything you can get your hands on, to constructing intricate 3D designs and much more. Over the last few years they have come down in price considerably and you can now pick one up for less than £300 or $300. Laser cutters use a focused high powered laser beam to cut or engrave a variety of materials including wood, metal, stone, glass, acrylic, leather, cloth, cardboard and paper.
